Guardian Angel
by corrupted-innocent
Summary: Mohinder saves the lives of a group of Specials with just one word. - A drabble set in an apocalyptic future of the world of 'Heroes'.  Mild language, no overt pairings, no spoilers except general knowledge of season one.  I make no profit from this work.


15,8,09 - a quick something I wrote to explore an apocalyptic future for 'Heroes'. I dug it out of the scraps file last night because I decided I wasn't really going to take it anywhere else. No overt pairings or spoilers (unless you haven't finished Season 1, in which case leave this little drabble and go do so AT ONCE), but there are tiny hints of slashiness here, if you squint. And some foul language. :D

Enjoy!

~STASTASTASTA~

Mohinder is just one of many people crowded in the control room, listening to the reports coming in as their agents stalk Sylar, but he is the only one in the room that does not have a genetic advancement. His silence is a condition of his presence - only Specials have privileges here, and the only reason his presence is suffered among them at all is because his knowledge of that oh-so-unique genetic code cannot be matched by any Special they have. Molly's loyalty to them keeps him well cared-for, but it was his own hard-won intellectual respect that granted him access to this room.

He could have told them that double-crossing Sylar would be a mistake they wouldn't live long enough to regret, but his opinion in this matter was not welcomed. And now he is listening to the screams as their operative manning the comm line is being cut open across the forehead, as the commanders of this little band of powerful misfits yell and swear at the comm, demanding Sylar's compliance, as though they have any claim to it. Even before they had reneged on their deal, Sylar owed them nothing.

There is a moment of silence over the comm as the screaming blessedly ends, and Mohinder restrains a sigh as he rests his forehead in one palm, arms crossed over his chest. To the Specials gathered in the room, Sylar is just a myth, the tales of his exploits exaggerated. He is only another Special, particularly powerful, but still a reasonable man stuck in the same situation as them. They'd thought to control him; they know better now.

"That's interesting,"Sylar's voice murmurs, clearly audible over the comm. "I wonder..." Static overcomes the line for a moment, and then it clears. "That's _very_ interesting." The woman standing nearest to Mohinder, a terrakinetic, looks almost ready to vomit, and he inches away from her slightly, nearly bumping into his escort before he hunches in on himself to avoid the contact.

"Now," Sylar says to the comm, soft and threatening, "give me one good reason why I shouldn't come tear you all apart limb from limb for betraying me."

"Sylar, see reason-" Gibbs stammers, attempting to sound placatory and conveying only condescension instead.

"No, _you_ see reason, you traitorous bastard, we had a _deal_." Sylar is hissing now - he's more angry than Mohinder had first thought. He doesn't know the details of whatever agreement was made between them, but obviously this group of Specials has achieved new heights of stupidity in backing out on it.

"We had to adapt to the changing situation. It's nothing personal," Alvarez tries, looking a little more concerned than Gibbs, though not nearly as concerned as she should be.

Sylar scoffs, and there's a pregnant pause that fills Mohinder with dread. When Sylar speaks, Mohinder can picture with the precision born of familiarity the look that is on the man's face. "I don't even have to be within ten miles of your location to destroy you all, did you know that? I could irradiate you; I could make the ground swallow you whole; I could send disease that would kill you in seconds. So give me one. Good. Reason. Why I shouldn't."

There is a moment of blustering, of cut-off fumbled attempts at explanations, but they have nothing to offer him. Finally, when Mohinder knows that Sylar is reaching the end of his patience, it is fear for Molly's life in the hands of these ignorant, belligerent fools that prompts Mohinder to speak.

"Zane," he calls clearly into the silence. An immediate blow to his head has him seeing stars, and his escort has him twisted up and pressed against the nearest wall with a glowing hand held threateningly near Mohinder's spine just seconds after the word leaves his lips. The nearby Specials glare daggers at him, and Gibbs spares him a contemptuous look and jerks his head to the escort to take Mohinder out of there.

"Mohinder..." Sylar purrs, stopping everyone in the room stone-cold. Alvarez and the others on the council stare at him in surprise and suspicion. He's still being held against the wall, heart beating fast, that hand threatening to melt his spine at any second, but for the moment, at least, he is a novelty and a distraction from their imminent demise. He has said his most important word for the night, though, and the rest is just window-dressing, taking the conversation wherever Sylar wants it to go. It's always been that way between them.

"How is the House of M?"

"Fuck you, Sylar," Mohinder growls. They both know that Matt is dead. The hands holding him down tighten threateningly, but Mohinder ignores them.

Sylar laughs. "You and I have trust issues, doctor," and Mohinder can _hear_ the smirk in his voice at the echo of a years-old adage.

"Die in a fire," Mohinder snaps back, smirking as well.

"Oh, Mohinder, I have _missed_ you," Sylar says, sincere in his pleasure. Then, with surprised curiosity, "Are you negotiating for them?"

"We both know that none of us would honor such a deal," Mohinder points out, and Sylar hmms in agreement. Mohinder takes as deep a breath as he can manage in this position, and then makes a leap of faith. "But _you_ followed _ me_, once." _You needed me,_ he doesn't say, but they both hear it. Mohinder prays that Sylar will understand his meaning.

"So I did," Sylar muses. For a moment there is silence. "Alright then. I'm done here. Be seeing you, Mohinder - give my best to Molly."

Mohinder snarls something extremely offensive in Tamil, and Sylar laughs as he cuts the connection.

~STASTASTASTA~

AN: So... tell me what you think, guys! :)


End file.
